After a one-hour delay waiting for two conflicting breezes to sort themselves out, the first day of finals in the Harken Laser World Championship provided some excellent racing.

For the first time all the top sailors sailed two races together in the gold fleet and, as expected, the racing was close and tough with mistakes costly. Good starts were essential as was a good first windward leg.

In an 8 to 10 knot wind the gold fleet got away at the second attempt under a black flag. Peer MOBERG from Norway was leading at the first mark with series leader, Robert SCHEIDT (BRA) buried in 15 position. The leaders went high on the reach whilst Scheidt went low and took 13 boats to get to second before starting the downwind leg. This included his closest rival in the overall points, Michael BLACKBURN (AUS), who started the downwind leg in fifth position. By the end of the downwind and next windward leg Blackburn had pulled up to first ahead of Moberg and Scheidt.

Moberg dropped to third on the second downwind behind Scheidt with Blackburn still in the lead. There was a twist in the end when Blackburn received a yellow flag penalty for a rule 42 infringement from the on water judges and had to do a 720-degree turn. As he did his turns Scheidt passed him, but not for long as Blackburn responded to pass Scheidt again before the last short windward leg to the finish. Behind, Hamish PEPPER (NZL) also passed Moberg on the last reach to finish third.

The wind increased to 13 knots average for the second race. Andreas GERITZER (AUT) started at the pin end and went hard left with Andre STREPPEL (BRA), these two rounded second and first respectively with Geritzer passing Streppel on the reach. Blackburn and Scheidt were playing catch-up in tenth and fifteenth position.

Geritzer extended his lead throughout the race to finish first. Behind him the battle was on for the runner up positions amongst Streppel, Hugh STYLES GBR and Patrick BERGMANNS (BEL). On the second downwind this group had been joined by Scheidt and Blackburn who both had good second windward legs and the group traded places in close racing on the downwind section.

At the mark Blackburn caught a wave and surfed through Streppel, Scheidt, Bergmanns and Mark MENDELBLATT (USA), into second. On the reach Scheidt passed Streppel, as did Mendelblatt. With no further changes on the short windward leg to the finish, the race ended with Blackburn second, Scheidt third and Mendelblatt fourth as each protected their hard earned positons.

With four races to go, the Sydney bronze medallist has reduced the overall lead of the silver medallist by two points and narrowed the margin to four points to set the stage for an exciting final two days.

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.